In the Cut

What does "broccoli" mean?

Depends on the context.

Pubic hair or marijuana. It's a noun.

And "Virginia"?

Vagina. As in, "He penetrated

her Virginia with a hammer."

-Yikes!

-Slang is either sexual or violent.

Or both.

When it's witty,

I think it's really witty.

Yeah.

Hello, how are you?

How are you?

Hi, how are you?

Why didn't you say hi?

I nodded.

Are you happy when you wake up?

No.

Hey, there was a petal storm

out here this morning.

I saw that.

I thought it was a snowstorm.

I thought I was dreaming.

No, there's two stores

we should go to in Soho.

It would not take very much for me

to make you look very good.

You're sabotaging

a f***ing incredible figure, baby.

Yo!

Is that your student?

It looks like he wants to eat you.

They all flirt. It's part of the ritual.

-Miss Avery, you're late.

-Am I?

-What, you trying to be ironic?

-Hello.

-What's happening?

-I'm Pauline.

We talked this morning

on the phone.

-Yeah.

-You look different than I thought.

Thank you for sharing your bed.

Bye.

Bye.

I got a new word for you.

"Meow."

Is this your usual?

Are you gonna write that down?

You should be paying me for this.

-You think so?

-Yeah.

This is valuable sh*t.

Aren't you afraid your book on slang

is like a dis?

A dis on whom?

People like you think the brothers

are guinea pigs...

...the way we talk and sh*t.

Cornelius, are you trying to tell me

that you need an extension?

No. Look, I came to tell you

I made a discovery.

See, I discovered I can call

John Wayne Gacy...

...and hear him talk himself,

Miss Avery.

Really? Dead murderers have

their own phone lines?

He wasn't no murderer.

Look, there be a website

for serial killers...

...you know, past and present.

He recorded and explained

himself...

...how he didn't kill no 33 boys.

I got radar for the truth...

...and I'm gonna write

how I know that.

This paper's not supposed

to be about you.

-That's the point of the assignment.

-You said every word a writer writes...

...even the commas and sh*t,

gotta be a reflection of him or her.

That we be doing this writing sh*t

to express our vision.

You know I got vision.

You know, I got Africa vision.

You know, I got b*tch vision.

I got....

Yeah. Excuse me, I have to go

to the bathroom.

Come on, you guys, you were

supposed to wait for me.

Hey, miss.

Hey, miss. Hey!

You forgot something.

The check.

Stream of consciousness,

I'd like to point out, is not the same...

...as stream of conscience...

...for which some of you

have mistaken it.

A logical error in some ways.

Okay, your assignment for today

is to utilize...

-Nothing happens.

-...style in To the Lighthouse.

Yeah, one old lady dies.

How many ladies have to die

to make it good?

At least three.

-What's this?

-From the bar...

...my half of the check.

Yo, man, where you go?

I waited a long time.

-Couldn't find the bathroom.

-Is that all?

-Is what all?

-All I owe you.

I can't pass you

unless you show up to class.

The still waters of the water

under a frond of stars

The still water of your mouth

under a thicket of kisses

The still waters of the water

under a frond of stars

The still water of your mouth

under a thicket of kisses

Under a thicket of kisses

-How you doing?

-Do I know you?

Detective Malloy.

Are you Francis Avery?

I'm canvassing your apartment

building. I wanna talk to you.

How do I know that's real?

It's still busy.

Why don't you come back.

I'll wait, thanks.

Can I smoke?

Not in my apartment.

You got someplace

I could put it out?

Thanks.

Miss Avery, there was a homicide

in your neighborhood on the 15th .

That'd be Saturday the 15th,

last Saturday...

...between 12 and 2 a.m.

Her body, or part of her body,

to be exact...

...was found in the garden

outside your window.

That's why I wanted to talk to you,

in case you saw or heard anything.

No. No, nothing unusual.

Frannie, it's John Graham.

Are you by yourself?

I don't think you're there

by yourself.

Why did you lie to me?

Doesn't it mean anything to you

that we slept together twice?

Yes, I do count that time

in the shower. Quiet!

Come on, pick up the phone.

Pick up.

Pick up. Pick up.

Pick up. Come on,

pick up the phone.

Are you a writer?

What's all this?

Words, quotes that I like, poetry.

Is it, like, a job or a hobby?

A passion.

"I want to do with you what spring

does with the cherry trees."

Is this you?

It's my sister.

My ex-wife had long hair,

then she cut it.

So you don't remember

seeing anything?

Hearing anything?

Oh, my pen?

It's fake. It's a cop thing.

You don't remember anything? Didn't

see anything? Didn't hear anything?

No cries in the night?

No. I don't remember seeing

or hearing anything unusual.

-And I sleep with the windows open.

-Yeah?

You do that a lot?

Can you tell me how it happened?

Her throat was cut.

And then she was disarticulated.

Here's my card.

My number's there. lf you remember

anything, give me a call, all right?

Do I know you from someplace?

I don't know.

Thanks.

Oh, sh*t.

-Don't bullshit me. Look me in the eye.

-I'm not.

Now, you think about it, all right?

Now, take a walk. Miss?

Oh, miss? Miss?

How you doing? Excuse me.

Can I talk to you for a minute?

Am I supposed to get in?

You want to talk on the street?

Never think it's a good idea, putting

your business on the street.

I'll get it.

This is my partner,

Detective Rodriguez.

Hi. How you doing?

-How do you do?

-What the f*** is this?

-It's coffee.

-It's half a cup.

-Take it back.

-He gives me a half a cup.

What, does he expect you to fill--?

How long is this gonna take?

-I'm sorry?

-How long is this gonna take?

-Are you in a hurry?

-Where you going?

-My friend's. Half sister's.

-We'll give you a lift.

-So, what do you do?

-I teach.

-You teach what?

-You get a chance to run those prints?

-Teach what?

-English.

You know what an isthmus is?

isthmus be my lucky f***ing day.

-What the f***? You ran the prints?

-Yeah.

-And?

-Nada, nothing.

Look, the reason we thought

you might be able to help...

...is the bartender....

Luther Wilker?

-Yeah.

-At the Red....

-Turtle.

-Well, he said...

...you were there

on the night in question.

-He's got a good memory.

-No, we have your credit-card receipt.

Does that look familiar?

That's right.

I was at the Red Turtle

with one of my students.

-One of your students?

-Cornelius Webb.

But it was early. It was 3:30.

I was there for a short time,

then I went home.

Cornelius Webb?

Is that with two B's or not two B's?

W-E-B-B.

You were in the front room

the whole time?

-Yes.

-Are you sure?

Didn't I just say so?

You didn't happen to see

a Caucasian girl, mid-20s?

Not too tall.

Good-looking, wouldn't you say?

-What?

-She was good-looking?

-She wasn't bad-looking.

-Yeah, but she....

Well, did you?

-What is this about, exactly?

-Listen, Miss Avery...

...the deceased was seen in the Red

Turtle the same night you were there.

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